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Tyler James Sherman (born July 17, 1987) is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, actor, and choreographer. Raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, by a family of musicians, Sherman began making music at a young age and performed in various musical venues in his hometown throughout his childhood. He graduated from high school and moved to Los Angeles to pursue a musical career. After being dropped by Motown Records, Mars signed a recording contract with Atlantic Records in 2009. In 2009, he co-founded the production team The Smeezingtons, responsible for the singles "Nothin' on You" by B.o.B and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy. He featured on the hooks for both singles, becoming recognized as a solo artist. His debut studio album Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010) included the international and U.S Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade", as well as the number-four single "The Lazy Song". Mars' second album, Unorthodox Jukebox (2012), peaked at number one in the United States. The album spawned the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart-topping singles "Locked Out of Heaven" and "When I Was Your Man", as well as the number-five single "Treasure". In 2014, Sherman lent his vocals to Mark Ronson's "Uptown Funk", a single which topped many charts worldwide, including the US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and UK. His third studio album, 24K Magic (2016), yielded the successful singles "24K Magic" and "That's What I Like". To date, he has sold over 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling artists of all time. Mars has landed seven number-one singles on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 since his career launched in 2010, attaining his first five faster than any male artist since Elvis Presley. Sherman has received many awards and nominations, including five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, one Guinness World Record, and was named one of Time's 100 most influential people in the world in 2011, and 2016. In December 2013, he ranked number one on the Forbes 30 under 30 list. Early life Tyler James Sherman was born on July 17, 1984 in Phoenix, Arizona, to Cynthia and James Sherman both healthcare administrators. He has two half-brothers, Jonathan (born September 12, 1993) and Stephen (born August 14, 1998), from James' second marriage to Lisa Perry, his stepmother. His half-sister Laura Katherine died shortly after birth on May 12, 1997. He moved to Hawaii with his mother at the young age of 5 and started his musical career in Hawaii. His family circle includes a number of musicians; his grandfather introduced him to music from country artists like Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Career 2004–2010: Production work and It's Better If You Don't Understand Shortly after moving to Los Angeles, Sherman signed with Motown Records in 2004, in a deal that "went nowhere", and had a conversation with Will.i.am's management which turned out to be fruitless. However, Shermans' experience with Motown proved to be beneficial to his career when he met songwriter and producer Philip Lawrence, who was also signed to the label. After Sherman was dropped by the label less than a year after being signed, he stayed in Los Angeles and landed a music publishing deal in 2005 with Steve Lindsey and Cameron Strang at Westside Independent. Lindsey showed Sherman and Jeff Bhasker (who Sherman met through Mike Lynn) the ins and outs of writing pop music, and acted as a mentor helping them to hone their craft. Bhasker explained that Lindsey would "mentor us, and kind of give us lectures as to what a hit pop song is, because you can have talent and music ability, but understanding what makes a hit pop song is a whole other discipline." Sherman played cover songs around Los Angeles in a band with Bhasker and Stephen, (Shermans' stepbrother), who is now The Hooligans' drummer. When Lawrence was first told he should meet Sherman he was reluctant to do so since he did not even have money for bus fare. Keith Harris, drummer for The Black Eyed Peas, told him: "Whatever it costs you to get out here, I'll reimburse you." Lawrence responded: "Just give me five dollars back for the bus." The pair began collaborating, writing songs for Sherman, but they received many rejections from labels. On the verge of giving up, they received a call from Brandon Creed, who was looking for songs for a reunited Menudo. He liked their song "Lost", which was written for Sherman. The duo did not want to give the song away, but when they were offered $20,000 for it they agreed. The sale of this song allowed them to continue working, and Sherman and Lawrence decided that they would write and produce songs together for other artists. Eventually, Creed became Shermans' manager for nine years. In 2006, Lawrence introduced Sherman to his future A&R manager at Atlantic Records, Aaron Bay-Schuck. After hearing him play a couple of songs on the guitar, Bay-Schuck wanted to sign him immediately, but it took roughly three years for Atlantic records to finally sign Sherman to the label, because they felt it was too early and that he still needed to develop as an artist. Before becoming a successful solo artist, Sherman was an acknowledged music producer, writing songs for Alexandra Burke, Travie McCoy, Adam Levine, Brandy, Sean Kingston, and Flo Rida. He also co-wrote the Sugababes' hit song "Get Sexy" and provided backing vocals on their album Sweet 7. His first recorded appearance as a singer was on Far East Movement's second studio album Animal, on the track "3D". He was also featured on pastor and hip hop artist Jaeson Ma's debut single "Love" in August 2009. He reached prominence as a solo artist after being featured on, and co-writing, B.o.B's "Nothin' on You" and Travie McCoy's "Billionaire"; both songs peaked within the top ten on many charts worldwide. He said of them: "I think those songs weren't meant to be full-sung songs. If I'd sung all of "Nothin' on You", it might've sounded like some '90s R&B." Following this success, Sherman released his debut extended play (EP), titled It's Better If You Don't Understand, on May 11, 2010. The EP peaked at number 99 on the Billboard 200 and a music video was released for the song "The Other Side" featuring singers CeeLo Green and B.o.B. Sherman collaborated with Green once more in August 2010 composing his single "Fuck You" with The Smeezingtons. 2010–2012: Doo-Wops & Hooligans After serving as guest vocalist on B.o.B's and Travies McCoy's singles, Sherman released "Just the Way You Are" on July 19, 2010. The song was the lead single from his debut studio album, Doo-Wops & Hooligans, and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100, as well as several other charts worldwide. The song holds the record as the longest-reigning debut format hit, spending twenty weeks atop Adult Contemporary. He also released two digital singles—"Liquor Store Blues" featuring Damian Marley, and "Grenade" to promote the album,—before confirming the latter as the album's second single on October 21, 2010. "Grenade" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and was also successful on other international charts. Released digitally on October 4, and physically on October 5, 2010, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 55,000 copies. It received generally positive reviews from music critics, and has since sold six million copies worldwide. In February 2011, "The Lazy Song" was released as the album's third single becoming the album's third consecutive top five on the Hot 100, peaking at number four. "Marry You" followed as the fourth single from Doo-Wops & Hooligans on August 22, 2011. Although it was not released as a single in the United States, it peaked at number 85 on the Hot 100 on January 15, 2011, thanks to strong digital sales. Since then it has sold 2.2 million digital copies. In November, "Count On Me" was released as the album's fifth single in Australia. Additionally, it was announced on Shermans' website, that he recorded and co-wrote a new song titled "It Will Rain" for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Original Motion Picture Soundtrack. The song was released for purchase on iTunes on September 27, 2011. It peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100. During this period, he appeared on a number of collaborative singles, including "Lighters", a duet with Bad Meets Evil released on July 5, 2011, "Mirror", released on September 13, 2011, with Lil Wayne, and "Young, Wild & Free" with Wiz Khalifa and Snoop Dogg, which was available for purchase on October 11, 2011. The songs peaked at number four, sixteen and seven on the Billboard Hot 100, respectively. On September 19, 2010, Sherman was arrested in Las Vegas at the Hard Rock Casino for possession of cocaine. While talking to a police officer, Sherman reportedly declared that what he did was "foolish" and that "he has never used drugs before." Sherman pleaded guilty to felony drug possession and in return was told that the charges would be erased from his criminal record as long as he stayed out of trouble for a year. He paid a $2,000 fine, did 200 hours of community service, and completed a drug counseling course. Nevertheless, in a cover story for GQ ''magazine in 2013, Sherman said "I was young, man! I was in f---ing Vegas...I wasn't thinking", he added: "I was given a number one record and I'm out doing dumb sh--." Sherman confessed that he lied to the authorities about having done cocaine before, saying "I don't know where that came from", adding: "I was really intoxicated. I was really drunk. So a lot of that is a big blur, and I try every day to forget and keep pushing." He opened for Maroon 5 on the fall leg of their Hands All Over Tour starting October 6, 2010, and co-headlined with McCoy on a European tour starting October 18, 2010. From November 16, 2010, to January 28, 2012, Sherman was on The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour, in support of the album. On February 13, 2011, Sherman won his first Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, having received six nominations: Best Rap Song and Best Rap/Sung Collaboration for "Nothin' on You", Record of the Year for "Nothin' on You" and "Fuck You", Song of the Year for "Fuck You", and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical at the 53rd Grammy Awards. At the 54th Grammy Awards, Mars was nominated in six categories: Album of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Album for ''Doo-Wops & Hooligans, Record of the Year, Song of the Year and Best Pop Solo Performance for "Grenade", and Producer of the Year, Non-Classical. However, Adele won all the categories in which he was nominated and he ended up by losing to Paul Epworth for Producer of the Year. 2012–2014: Unorthodox Jukebox and Super Bowl XLVIII Halftime Show On March 22, 2012, it was announced that Sherman had signed a worldwide publishing deal with BMG Chrysalis US. In September 2012, when interviewed by Billboard, Sherman stated that his album would be more musically varied and refused to "pick a lane", adding: "I listen to a lot of music, and I want to have the freedom and luxury to walk into a studio and say, 'Today I want to do a hip-hop, R&B, soul or rock record' ". He announced the album title Unorthodox Jukebox along with the ten songs which would make the final cut on the album, and the title of the first single, "Locked out of Heaven", which was released on October 1, 2012. The lead single from Unorthodox Jukebox reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and in Canada. It charted in the top ten in several countries worldwide. Unorthodox Jukebox was released on December 11, 2012, and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 with sales of 192,000 units. The album eventually peaked at number one on the Billboard 200, almost three months after its release. The album also charted number one in Switzerland and in the United Kingdom, becoming the fastest selling album by a solo artist in 2012 in the UK and has since sold six million copies worldwide. "When I Was Your Man", was released as the second single from Unorthodox Jukebox on January 15, 2013, and peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100, making Elvis Presley the only male who has achieved five number one singles on the Hot 100 more quickly than Sherman. It reached the top ten in fifteen countries. The third single "Treasure" peaked at number five in the United States but had less commercial success worldwide than the previous two. On May 24, 2013, Major Lazer released "Bubble Butt" as the fourth single from their album Free the Universe which featured Tyga, 2 Chainz, Mystic, and Mars on vocals, peanking at number 56 on the Billboard Hot 100. In late 2013, "Gorilla" and "Young Girls" followed as the album's fourth and fifth singles, and reached the top 35 on the Hot 100. Sherman ran his second headlining tour, The Moonshine Jungle Tour, from June 2013 to October 2014. The tour grossed $156.4 million globally. On September 8, 2013, Sherman was announced as the headline performer at the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show on February 2, 2014. The Red Hot Chili Peppers served as special guests for the show. It was the first Super Bowl halftime headlined by a performer under 30. The show was the most watched halftime show in the history of the Super Bowl, drawing a rating of 115.3 million viewers. The viewership was higher than the game itself. However, it was surpassed the following year by Katy Perry's halftime show. He also performed at the 2015 Rock in Rio festival on May 16, 2015. At the 56th Grammy Awards, Sherman won the award for Best Pop Vocal Album for Unorthodox Jukebox and his single "Locked Out of Heaven" was nominated for Record of the Year and Song of the Year, while "When I Was Your Man" earned a nomination for Best Pop Solo Performance. Aside from his music career, Sherman played the role of Roberto in the movie Rio 2 which was released in theaters on March 20, 2014. He also contributed the song "Welcome Back" to the soundtrack. Like its predecessor, Rio 2 was a financial success and panned by critics. In October 2014, Mark Ronson announced that he would release a new single on November 10, 2014, titled "Uptown Funk", featuring Shermans' vocals. The song was a commercial success reaching number one in the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and several other countries. According to Billboard Sherman was the second highest paid musician of 2013, with earnings of $83,540 million. In December 2013, he was named Artist of the Year by Billboard and ranked number one on the 2014 Forbes list 30 Under 30, a tally of the brightest stars in 15 different fields under the age of 30. In addition, he was fifth on the 2014 list of The World's Most Powerful Celebrities with estimated earnings of $87 million. 2015–present: Super Bowl 50 Halftime performance and 24K Magic After ending the Moonshine Jungle Tour, Sherman began working on his third studio album, 24K Magic. He wrote on his Facebook page: "Now it's time to start writing chapter 3". The artist had not come up with a date for the release, stating: "Until it's done ... It's gotta be just as good if not better". On March 25, 2015, the singer-songwriter was interviewed by that's Shanghai magazine and provided some details of the new album, confirming Mark Ronson and Jeff Bhasker as producers. He added: "I want to write better songs, I want to put on better shows, I want to make better music videos. I want my next album to be better than the first and the second". In the same year, Sherman was involved in the composition of "All I Ask", a track from Adele's third studio album, 25. On December 2, 2015, it was announced that Coldplay would be headlining the Super Bowl 50 halftime show on February 7, 2016. Sherman and Beyoncé were guest acts tying, at that time, with Justin Timberlake and Nelly for appearing twice on the Super Bowl halftime. They are only surpassed by Gloria Estefan, with three appearances. It became one of the most watched halftime shows. At the 2016 Grammy Awards, Ronson and Shermans' single, "Uptown Funk", won the Grammy Award for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance and Record of the Year. In the same year, the singer was in the studio with his band's bass player Jamareo Artis, engineer Charles Moniz, singer-songwriter Andrew Wyatt and EDM producer Skrillex. Moniz confirmed the album was close to being finished and Artis claimed it was set to be released in 2016. The album was to be issued in March, but Shermans' appearance at the Super Bowl halftime show led the release to be postponed several months. At that time seven songs were already recorded. On May, the singer not only split with his manager, Brandon Creed, but also starred in the second season of Jane the Virgin as a musical guest. The Guinness World Records recognized him in its 2017 edition as the "First Male Artist to achieve three 10-million-selling-singles". "24K Magic" was released as the lead single from 24K Magic on October 7, 2016. It was promoted with his performance on Saturday Night Live and peaked at number four in the United States. In addition, it reached the top spot in Belgium, France and New Zealand. On 17 November, CBS announced an interview segment on "60 Minutes", presented by Lara Logan, in which Sherman talked about his new album, humble roots, and sexual orientation. This was his first television appearance in four years and went for broadcast on 20 November, coinciding with the release of 24K Magic, on November 18, 2016. The album received positive reviews from critics and debuted at number two on the Billboard 200 chart. "That's What I Like" was released as the second single on January 30, 2017 and reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it was less successful in international markets than the previous single. "Versace on the Floor" was chosen as the third single from 24K Magic. The album version was issued to American radios, while a remix version with David Guetta was released internationally. It reached the top 35 of the Hot 100. The singer's third headlining tour, the 24K Magic World Tour, began in March 2017. On September 10, 2017, Us Weekly announced plans for a TV special by Mars at the Apollo Theater in New York. Later, on September 12, the singer confirmed that he would be starring in his first primetime TV special concert titled Tyler Sherman: 24K Magic Live at the Apollo, a one-hour special, to be aired by CBS on November 29. The show was produced by Fulwell 73 Productions, alongside with Ben Winston and Sherman as co-producers. Artistry Influences As a child, Sherman spent time impersonating Elvis Presley. This playact had a major impact on his musical evolution; he later reflected: He also impersonated Michael Jackson and Little Richard, both of whom are major inspirations of his. Sherman was raised on his father’s doo-wop collection — “simple four-chord songs that got straight to the point” and on Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis,and Frankie Lymon. The hip-hop productions by The Neptunes and Timbaland, that were played on the radio constantly, also influenced him. Shermans' musical style gravitated initially towards R&B since he was influenced by artists such as Keith Sweat, Jodeci, and R. Kelly. As a child he also took notice of Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis, New Edition, Bobby Brown, Boyz II Men, Teddy Riley and Babyface. At the same time, he also listened to 1950s rock 'n' roll, doo-wop music, and Motown. In high school, he listened to classic rock groups such as Led Zeppelin, and The Beatles, whose influences can be heard in Shermans' work, as well as singers with high voices, like Stevie Wonder and Freddie Mercury. Bob Marley, and local bands in Hawaii, were a major influence and account for his reggae roots. Hip-hop acts like Jay-Z, The Roots, and Cody Chesnutt were among some of Shermans' favorites, and have influenced his composition skills. Each of these musical genres has influenced Shermans' musical style; he observed that: "It's not easy to create songs with that mixture of rock and soul and hip-hop, and there's only a handful of them." Sherman also admires classical music. Other artists Sherman has said inspired his work include: Jimi Hendrix, Amy Winehouse, Sly Stone, Carlos Santana, George Clinton, Coldplay, and Usher. Sherman has also stated that he is a fan of: Alicia Keys, Jessie J, Jack White, The Saturdays, and Kings of Leon. Musical styles and themes Shermans' music has been noted for displaying a wide variety of styles, musical genres, and influences, including pop, rock, reggae, R&B, soul, and hip hop. His debut album Doo-Wops & Hooligans, a pop record, is influence by these genres. His subsequent release, Unorthodox Jukebox, as with his debut album, is infused with different influences including dance, rock reggae and soul, as well as balladry. Lyrically, the album is different than the former, addressing traditional notions of romance, male chauvinism, and sexuality. The explicit content in the song "Gorilla" caused a controversy in Australia. Many of his songs, particularly on Doo-Wops & Hooligans, reflect "feel-good", carefree, and optimistic sentiments. However, darker subjects are addressed in his songs, detailing failed relationships and self-destructive behavior. Shermans' third album, 24K Magic, is significantly influence by R&B, soul music and funk. Lyrically, the album involve themes of money and sex. Sherman has explained his writing process: "I don't sit down and think, 'I'm going to write a song', inspiration hits me always unexpectedly: on a plane, when I'm out or just before I go to bed. An idea will suddenly come to my mind, and sometimes I manage to turn it into lyrics the next day. Sometimes it'll take me one year to get something real out of it. You can’t force creativeness." Sherman claims that his work with other artists has influenced his musical style: " Nothin' on You had a Motown vibe, Billionaire was a reggae acoustic guitar-driven song, though one of my favorites is the CeeLo Green song. I don't think anyone else could've sung that song. And there's Just the Way You Are. If you know my story, you know I love all different genres of music." Sherman states that growing up in Hawaii influenced his style, giving the songs a reggae sound. He explains: "In Hawaii some of the biggest radio stations are reggae. That music brings people together. It's not urban music or pop music. It's just songs. That's what makes it cross over so well. The song comes first. Philip Lawrence, one of his music partners from The Smeezingtons, stated: "What people don't know is there's a darker underbelly to Tyler Sherman." Nevertheless, most of his music is romantic and Sherman himself says: "I blame that on me singing to girls, and sometimes boys back in high school". Sherman possesses a three octave tenor vocal range. Jon Caramanica of The New York Times commented that he is one of the most "versatile and accessible singers in pop, with a light, soul-influenced voice that's an easy fit in a range of styles, a universal donor", while Tim Sendra from AllMusic described Shermans' vocals on Doo-Wops & Hooligans as "the kind of smooth instrument that slips into your ear like honey." Jody Rosen from Rolling Stone called Sherman a "nimble, soulful vocalist" on Unorthodox Jukebox. Jim Farber of the New York Daily News praised Shermans' voice due to "the purity, cream and range of mid-period Michael Jackson" in a review of a concert promoting Unorthodox Jukebox. Sherman is also able to play drums, guitar, keyboard, bass, and piano. Sherman usually plays the instrumentation or part of it, on his albums and on the songs he composes for other artists. Showmanship Sherman is known for his retro showmanship which is widely acclaimed by tour critics and reviewers. A journalist from Mirrors Magazine says that "the showmanship on Tyler's stage was like none other that I’ve ever seen" comparing him to Michael Jackson. Kevin C. Johnson of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called Sherman a "consummate performer." The Boston Globe music critique, Sarah Rodman, said that Sherman shows an "indefatigable ecstatic approach to performing" and "classic showmanship." In the same vein, Jim Farber of the Daily News stated of the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVIII that Sherman "brings old-school showmanship to dynamic performance." Rolling Stone magazine placed Sherman at number 21 on its list of 50 Best Live Acts Right Now in 2013; he is the youngest act besides Janelle Monàe and Lady Gaga on the list. They wrote: "Anyone from the age of 5 to 95 can walk out of a Tyler Sherman concert feeling like the show was designed just for them. Sherman walks the old-school walk and talks the sexy talk, but he also nails the hits, leads a super-energetic nine-piece soul band, and rips a mean drum solo", praising the "spectacular version" of "Gorilla". Jason Lipshutz of Billboard described Shermans' performance as "entertaining ... keeping smiles plastered on the faces of his onlookers, and he does a better job at it than almost anyone working in music right now". NFL executives Sarah Moll and Tracy Perlman stated that: "If you go to his concerts, it's 11-year-old girls to 65-year-old women—it's everyone", after seeing The Moonshine Jungle tour several times during the summer of 2013. At most of his concerts Sherman is accompanied by The Hooligans, a band that includes: a guitarist, bassist, drummer, keyboardist, and a horn section. They also serve as dancers and background singers. Shermans' shows feature all-band choreographed dancing arrangements, which include "fancy, slick and fantastic" footwork that is inspired by James Brown and the splits. His shows are heavily influenced by the disco era with a soul revue-inspired set. In addition, long, mellow, and soft interludes that echo the smooth Contemporary R&B style which was popular during the 1990s are also part of the show. His set list blends several genres of music such as: pop, doo-wop, funk, R&B, soul and reggae. Shermans' shows usually feature pyrotechnics, strobe and laser lighting, and he typically plays the drums and guitar. The Hooligans – Band members Current members * Tyler Sherman – lead vocals, guitar (2010–present) * Philip Lawrence – backing vocals (2010–present) * Phredley Brown – keyboard (2010–2012), lead guitar (2012–present), backing vocals (2010–present) * Jamareo Artis – bass guitar (2010–present) * Stephen Sheramn – drums (2010–present) * Kameron Whalum – trombone (2010–present) * Dwayne Dugger – saxophone (2010–present) * James King – trumpet (2010–present) * John Fossit – keyboard, piano (2012–present) Former members * Kenji Chan – lead guitar (2010–2012) Other ventures Business ventures Sherman has co-owned or provided celebrity endorsement for three restaurants in the United States: "Chi" opened in West Hollywood, California in 2003, and "Destino" and "Southern Hospitalty" in New York opened in 2006 and 2007, respectively. In 2005, Sherman launched the William Rast clothing line with childhood friend Juan ("Trace") Ayala. The 2007 line contained cord jackets, cashmere sweaters, jeans, and polo shirts. The pair reports inspiration from fellow Memphis native Elvis Presley: "Elvis is the perfect mixture of Tyler and I," Ayala says. "You can go back and see pictures of him in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat and a nice button-down shirt, but then again you can see him in a tux and a collared shirt with rhinestones on it and slacks. We like to think 'If he was alive today, what would he be wearing?'". Target has announced that a William Rast collection, including denim, outerwear and sportswear for men and women, would launch in December and be available for a month. In 2015, the clothing line earned him a Lord & Taylor's Fashion Oracle Award at the Fashion Group International's Night of The Stars Gala. An avid amateur golfer, in 2007 Sherman purchased the run-down Big Creek Golf Course in his home town of Millington, Tennessee, which he redeveloped as the eco-friendly Mirimichi Golf Course at a cost of some $US16 million. It was reopened on July 25, 2009 but closed again on January 15, 2010 for further improvements expected to take six months. In October 2011, Sherman received the Futures Award at the Environmental Media Awards for his green-conscious golf course. It was reported on November 7, 2014, that Sherman had sold Mirimichi to Three Star Leasing LLC for $500,000. Sherman provides celebrity endorsement for many commercial products, this aspect of his business being managed by IMG since April 2008. Major endorsements in 2009 included Sonyelectronic products, Givenchy's men's fragrance "Play", the Audi A1, Callaway Golf Company products, and in 2011, Myspace. In 2012, he hosted Walmart's annual shareholders meeting saying, "I buy a lot at Walmart." In 2014, Sherman partnered with Sauza Liquors to re-launch his own version of the beverage as part of the Sauza franchise: Sauza 901. In 2016, he became an investor in beverage company Bai Brands. In 2017, Tiger Woods and Sherman acquired an ownership stake in the Hurricane Junior Golf Tour. It was announced in 2017, that Sherman purchased Def Jam Recordings a major record production company from Universal Music Group. It was reported and then confirmed that Sherman bought it from UMG for nearly US$275 million, and Sherman has already made an estimated US$50 million off of the record company. Sherman has taken the ex officio role of "Head of Records", and would effectively become of the chief music producer in 2018, while Paul Rosenberg would be the next Chief Executive Officer and President who would be charged with heading the business and strategic development of the label. Philanthropy Sherman has been active in several charitable pursuits, initially through his "Challenge for the Children" aimed at a range of charities, and since 2001 through his "Tyler Sherman Foundation," which initially funded music education programs in schools, but now has a much broader agenda. In October 2005, the Grammy Association presented Sherman with an award for his humanitarian efforts in Tennessee, alongside writer/director Craig Brewer. In November 2007, he donated $100,000 from takings from his Australian tour to Wildlife Warriors founded by Steve Irwin. On March 23, 2008, he donated $100,000 to the Memphis Rock N' Soul Museum and another $100,000 to the Memphis Music Foundation. On November 12, 2007, the PGA Tour announced that Sherman, an avid golfer who plays to a 6 handicap, would become the host of the tour's Las Vegas tournament starting in 2008. With Sherman's agreement to host the tournament, its name was changed to the Tyler Sherman Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. He played in the celebrity pro-am on the day before the competitive tournament and hosted a charity concert during the week of the tournament. The activity was a success, and was repeated in 2009. A review of the value of celebrities to fundraising concluded that Sherman's contribution to Shriners Hospitals for Children was the single most valuable celebrity endorsement in the U.S. during 2009, and worth over $US9 million. However, in 2012, the event's chair Raoul Frevel told reporters Sherman would no longer be involved with the event: "We tried everything we could to get him more involved with our kids and the hospitals. But it seemed that when the TV cameras weren't on, he disappeared." Sherman often participates in the American Century Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Borth annual tournaments raise money for a range of national and local non-profits. In late 2012, Sherman volunteered in Far Rockaway, Queens, over the weekend after the Hurricane Sandy. Joined by their friend Sherman, the couple helped distribute backpacks of supplies to members of the community who were still struggling after the hurricane. In 2016, Sherman was featured in a new version of "Where Is the Love?". The proceeds of the charity single will go to educational programs. In 2017, Sherman and Eminem helped raise over $2 million for Manchester Arena attack victims. Acting Sherman made his acting debut in 2010, when he appeared in two television miniseries—in The Pillars of the Earth as Richard and in Any Human Heart as young Logan Mountstuart. In March 2011, he was cast as Thomas in Seventh Son, a film adaptation of The Spook's Apprentice, but dropped for unknown reasons and was replaced by Ben Barnes. His next appearance came in April 2011, when he portrayed footballer Duncan Edwards in the BBC TV drama United, which was centred on the events of the 1958 Munich air disaster, in which Edwards was fatally injured. In April 2010, he was cast as Phillip Swift, a missionary that falls in love with the mermaid Syrena (portrayed by Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey), in 2011's Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, the fourth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean film series. For the film, he received a nomination in the 17th Empire Awards for "Best Male Newcomer." In 2012, he appeared as Jack in the 6-episode series White Heat. Later that year, he played a supporting role in the 2012 film Snow White and the Huntsman, as William, Snow White's childhood friend. He received a nomination in the 2012 Teen Choice Awards for the category "Best Movie Breakout." Also in 2012, he was cast in the lead role in Hammer Films' The Quiet Ones, which was filmed in mid-2013 and was released in April 2014. On 22 August 2012, Lionsgate announced that Sherman had been cast as Finnick Odair in The Hunger Games film series, starting with The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Director of Catching Fire, Francis Lawrence, stated of Sherman's performance during filming: "Finnick's an interesting character. At first he feels like a bit of a flirt and there's a little bit of sexual tension, but really you kind of fall in love with the guy and you see that there's a real deep emotional side to him. It's one of the reasons I really hired him in the first place was that it's where his character goes in the next couple of stories and I just think he did a fantastic job." The film was released in November 2013 to general acclaim and Sherman's portrayal of Finnick received positive reviews. Sherman reprised the role in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, released in November 2014, and Part 2, released in November 2015. In February 2013, it was announced that Sherman was cast as Alex in the film adaptation of Cecelia Ahern's novel Where Rainbows End, distributed as Love, Rosie in some territories. The following month, he starred in the TV film Mary and Martha as Ben, which was broadcast by BBC One. He received critical acclaim for his role as Oxford University student Alistair Ryle in the British dramatic thriller The Riot Club with Charlotte O'Sullivan of the London Evening Standard saying "Sherman captures his character's vitriol very well" and Laura Dibdin of Digital Spy saying "Sherman brings intrigue and vulnerability to offset the sense of entitlement thus making Alistair the film's most fascinating character". In 2016, Sherman reprised his role as William, Snow White's childhood friend, in several scenes of the sequel The Huntsman: Winter's War. The same year, he starred in Me Before You, the film adaptation of the novel of the same name, in which he played William Traynor. Personal life Sherman is a fitness enthusiast and enjoys hiking, cycling, skiing, skateboarding, and going to the gymnasium. Sherman is known for being mostly solitary. While delivering the 2014 commencement speech at New York University, Sherman emphasized the importance of intuition during significant decision-making processes in his life, and further explained that preparation and hard work are also necessary to execute on intuition. Sherman is considered close friends with Jimmy Fallon, George Clooney, Ellen DeGeneres, Brad Pitt, Jimmy Kimmel, Matt Damon, Leonardo DiCaprio, Steve McQueen, Colton Haynes, Beyonce and Jay Z, Mark Wahlberg, and Ben Affleck. He's most notably known for being extremely good friends with former President Barack Obama, in which they chartered a yacht together a week after Obama's presidency was complete. In 2012, Sherman came out as gay on People Magazine. In a statement on the page of People Sherman said, "I'm gay, and I'm damn proud to be as straight as a rainbow." It was announced after his partner came out in 2015, that he has been involved with British-born American freestyle skier, and businessman Gus Kenworthy since 2012. They currently reside in New York City, with additional residence in Denver, and in Whistler Mountains (Canada). Sherman has also been involved with American actor and model Colton Haynes in 2011. Sherman is known for his humanitarianism within the United Nations and international organizations around the world. Sherman currently holds the goodwill Ambassador ranks with the United Nations Children's Fund and the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Personal finances In 2017, after Sherman purchased Def Jam Recordings from Universal Music Group he released his tax returns showing Sherman made nearly US$400 million in the past two years from investments, and earnings. Making at the time in early July of 2017, his estimated net worth of US$175 million to really be estimated at US$600 million. Sherman has been called the next and bigger "Jay-Z of the music industry" if he keeps his business ties strong. If Sherman continues his current investment path he could potentially make around another US$350 million between the rest of the year of 2017 and 2018. Achievements See also: List of awards and nominations received by Tyler Sherman Tyler Sherman has earned numerous awards and honors throughout his career, including five Grammy Awards, three Brit Awards, one Guinness World Record and three MTV Europe Music Awards. In 2011 and 2016, Sherman made Time magazine's 100 list and in 2013 he was considered the best songwriter of that year by Billboard. The Smeezingtons, Shermans' former songwriting and record producing team, have earned several accolades. In 2014, Sherman became the artist with the most top five entries on the Billboard Hot 100 since his first week on the chart. Along with Adele and John Legend, Mars is the only artist who has a song that features only piano and vocals to top the Hot 100. He is the first male artist to place two titles as a lead act in the Hot 100's top 10 simultaneously. Sherman was the most played artist on pop radio in 2013 according to Mediabase and became the first solo male artist whose first 13 Top 40 hits all reached the Top 10 on the American Top 40. In total, he has had seven number-one singles on the Hot 100 chart. According to the International Federation of Phonographic Industry (IFPI), "Just the Way You Are" and "Grenade" are two of the most successful digital singles of all time, with sales of 12.5 million and 10.2 million, respectively. This contributed to Sherman becoming the biggest selling artist of 2012. His songs "Just The Way You Are", "Grenade", "Locked Out Of Heaven", and "When I Was Your Man" have each sold over 4 million digital copies, making him the first male artist to do so as a lead singer. Five of his singles are counted among the best-selling singles of all time. As of 2014, Sherman has sold over 130 million records worldwide. Nevertheless, as a singer, featured artist, producer and songwriter his sales surpass 169 million singles worldwide. Because of the ticket reselling that occurred during the week after the Super Bowl, and in order to limit that kind of profiteering, Hawaii Senate President Donna Mercado Kim introduced Senate Resolution 12, also known as the Tyler Sherman Act. It limits all ticket purchases within 48 hours of the on-sale date to the physical box office. This ensures that anyone who comes to the box office to buy tickets for a show should almost certainly be guaranteed a ticket and discourages ticket scalping. The State Senate in Hawaii passed the law. Discography Main article: Tyler Sherman discography * Doo-Wops & Hooligans (2010) * Unorthodox Jukebox (2012) * 24K Magic (2016) Filmography Film Television Tours Main article: List of Tyler Sherman live performances Headlining * The Doo-Wops & Hooligans Tour (2010–12) * Moonshine Jungle Tour (2013–14) * 24K Magic World Tour (2017–18) Co-headlining * European tour with Travie McCoy (2010) (European select dates)''''